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…Says RSG Won’t Allow Enemies Destabilise Rivers …As Gana Flags-Off 12th Flyover, Bemoans Failure Of APC
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has declared that any act of criminality tended to destabilise the state will not be allowed.
The governor said that his administration had invested hugely in achieving the prevailing peace, stressing that he would not tolerate anything that would return the State back to the dark days of insecurity.
Wike spoke at the flag-off of the 12th flyover at the Mgbuoba, Ozuoba-Ada George Road in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, which was performed by Prof. Jerry Gana, last Friday.
“Now, let me tell anyone who cares to listen, whether you’re in PDP, APC, you’re in SDP, you’re in Accord or any other party, if I catch you trying to breach the security in this state, you’ll go in for it.
“I will not allow anybody to destabilise this state. We have suffered insecurity and God has helped us together with security agencies to maintain peace. For me, whether it is true or not, I must make sure that I take action.”
Wike said, sadly most people do not take the warning issued in his last state broadcast serious. According to him, he had warned that any hotel or event centre where criminals, cultists are allowed to gather to plot the breach of peace would be demolished.
“So, if you know they’re using your hotel, or they’re using your drinking joint as where they’ll be holding meetings, think twice now.
“There is no amount of propaganda, if you like go to social media that they’re clamping down on you, that’s your business. I will not allow anybody to destabilise this state, because we have suffered insecurity and we have spent money.
“You can’t begin to arrange for cultists to meet in your event centres, or in your hotels. Pray that I don’t have any hint about that, if I do, I will bring down your hotel, I will bring down the event centre and I will arrest those people found there and I will prosecute them, heaven would not fall.”
Wike pointed to how committed his administration has been to providing the best for Rivers people by developing the state with quality infrastructure.
The governor stressed that this is the first time in Nigeria an administration that has less than 10 months to the end of tenure, is still awarding contract and commissioning projects.
“It has never happened anywhere and it can only happen by the grace of God, with us here. While others are thinking of what they will use to campaign, we don’t have to think about that.”
The governor said it is not in doubt that Rivers State is presently the only State that the Peoples Democratic Party is sure will deliver its gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 election.
This is because, governor Wike said, Rivers people are already at home with the PDP and its commitment to the development of the state.
“That is why we are proud to say this is the only State, for now that PDP can be sure of returning its governorship candidate as governor.
He explained that one of the reasons why the PDP is delighted to have chosen, Mr. Siminialayi Fubara, as its governorship candidate, is because he is aware and knows what is going on in government.
“Because you must be part of the system to understand the system to continue from where we are going to stop. Not people who just have the idea of wanting to be governor because they want to syphon our money. Thank God that we didn’t give them the ticket.”
Performing the flag-off, former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana noted that the flyover project will definitely add to the beauty and efficiency of the metropolis, by enhancing accessibility.
Prof Gana said Governor Wike is raising the status of Port Harcourt so that it will become an enduring investment destiny and home for many because of the prevailing peace.
“We love your son. He is a wonderful leader of truth. The man who stands for justice, for equity, for goodness and we love him so much because he is also performing.
“He is delivering development projects for the people of Rivers State. In fact, we are very jealous that you have such a wonderful governor. One of the good things of the governor is that you have enjoyed peace and security under him.”
Gana bemoaned the failure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in all sectors and appealed that the national economy that is at the brink of collapse should not be allowed to slump.
“What we require is really a facilitating environment and they (economy player) will perform wonders. Nobody should allow the economy of Nigeria to collapse.
“There has been a total failure by the government of APC at the centre. Nigerians are now suffering from insecurity. Even Abuja is not safe.
“I appeal to the Commander in Chief and all other leaders on top that we have a military force, they are more than enough to defeat these bandits. But they need a kind of qualitative leadership that will give direction, guidance and resources for them to deliver on their mandate.”
Providing the description of the project, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr. Dakorinama George-Kelly, said the 12th flyover will contribute to the socioeconomic dynamics of the metropolis, improve travel time and add to its aesthetics.
“This flyover is 927.5meters long, just 80meters shorter than the 11th flyover we flagged off yesterday. We are going to have 17.6meters width because it will have two lanes, 7.3meters on each lane, one meter width median, one meter walkway on both sides of the road.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.